


A part of me I can't let go

by Amiko



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Illustrations, Set 2 years after the Remake, Unresolved Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-03-02 07:30:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18806557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amiko/pseuds/Amiko
Summary: "She was like a ghost in red that was preying on his every step. "Almost two years after the Raccoon City incident Leon, working now for the government, is sent to Canada to investigate on ex-Umbrella scientist. During his quest a ghost from his past makes its presence. The question is, is she a threat or an ally on his mission?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Oh boi here we go again. Let me tell you, I thought I will never write again after my last fic BUT HERE WE GO AGAIN. But damn, these two.  
> I must say few things. It's my first RE fic, I'm new in this fandom and I did a little research but in the end I decided to make it in my own way because Remake changed few things anyway in the canon story. In this story I wanted to focus mostly on the unresolved tension between Leon and Ada hence just a random ex-scientist. This is my first time posting a work without a beta reader and I'm not a native english speaker so please be kind for me and my mistakes! I'm trying my best here! 
> 
> Also this is for you Alba, Lisa and Court because you have to deal with my Leon thirst. 
> 
> ALSO all illustrations are drawn by me

_24 august 2000, Vancouver_

The airport was crowded as Leon took his bag and headed towards the exit. It was his first time in Canada and he wished it was under different circumstances. He heard a lot about Vancouver and when he was younger, he always wanted to visit this city. Unfortunately, his whole life changed and he felt that it won’t be his last journey, but rather one of the many.

After the Raccoon City, Leon, Claire and Sherry had to part their ways. When they made to the safe place, Claire left them to search for her brother. It wasn't an easy decision for her as she was really attached to the young girl and wanted to protect her at all cost but she was still worried about her brother. That’s why Leon promised her that he would take care of little Sherry.

Sadly, two days later they were caught by the government. Just when they were on their way to a local restaurant to eat something, still staying at a motel room and with no idea where to go, two cars surrounded them and the men in black suits took them with force. Leon survived hordes of undead yet it was humans who managed to ‘take him’. Hours of interrogations and explaining that Sherry is an innocent girl, definitely not infected, made Leon feel so helpless. He felt like this nightmare could never end. In the end they gave him an ultimatum - he could still see Sherry but only if he accepted their job offer to work as an agent. It’s not like he had a choice - their demands were pretty clear and Leon knew that his carrier as a policeman ended the moment he stepped out of the nightmare called Raccoon. Apparently he had ‘an experience’ in dealing with the Bio Organic Weapons, if you can call ‘an experience’ being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In other words, he knew too much about things he shouldn’t. He accepted the job without hesitation. He made a promise after all and Sherry needed him.

Looking at his phone Leon realized that it was almost two years since the Raccoon City, the place that changed his whole life. His job as policeman ended after one day and since then he never had an occasion to wear his uniform again. Pity, he was really excited to be on duty.

He had to hid the fact that he was a secret government agent from his family. He spent the last two years training and learning more about B.O.W.s. It wasn’t ‘that’ bad. He still had Claire as his friend but they rarely see each other because Leon didn't want government to know about her. After all, he didn't mention her in his story. He could always visit Sherry as she was living nearby him with her foster family, but she was still a kid. During some nights or days he felt so fucking lonely. His every move was monitored by the government as they still didn't trust him that much. Some agents made fun of him because of his young look. Some of them were close to be ‘friend’ but there was still a visible distance. Leon was surrounded by people but felt alone.

Passing by a big group of tourist Leon, finally after a few minutes of walking, spotted an exit door. It’s not like it was his first mission but usually he was accompanied by someone. For the first time he was alone in a foreign country but he could menage. He knew that the government ‘counted’ on him and they were testing his abilities. Despite him not having an actual choice, he wanted to prove them that he was a capable and trustworthy agent.

The moment he entered the Raccoon City he stepped into the world of B.O.W.s and there was no exit from this nightmare until he found a way to end it. The world of terrifying and inhuman creatures was haunting him in real life and in his thoughts. In dreams he still saw Raccoon City, the big creature in the trench coat, the ‘welcome Leon’ sign and the dead bodies of the coworkers he had never had a chance to met. Blood everywhere.

Red.

Her color.

Leon sighed.

From all of the things that still troubled him, she was the one that haunted him the most. He saw her many times in his dreams falling from that bridge, slipping from his hand. In some dreams he managed to save her. In some she shot him and it was him who had fallen. In most of the dreams he didn’t want to believe that she used him. In all of his dreams he saw her in red.

She was like a ghost in red that was preying on his every step.

Claire joked he had an obsession. Maybe she was right. She and Sherry were the only ones who knew about ‘her’. He never mentioned her in any report. After all, she was dead.

Leon shrugged and finally, he left the airport behind him. He spotted a guy in a suit, leaning with his arm crossed on the door of the jeep. The car looked somehow like the one he used to get to the Raccoon City. He had left it in the gas station and never managed to get it back. Pity, he had saved money for it for a long time during his days at the college.

The man straightened his posture when he noticed Leon. Kennedy approached him to learn more about his assignment. There was no point in contemplating about the past. He had a job to do.

  
***

As he left the bag in his room, Leon could finally exhale. He wanted to throw himself on the bed as it looked really comfortable but firstly he needed to take a shower. The bathroom was nice, not so big and he started taking off his clothes. The warm water helped his tired body to relax after sitting in the plane and he started to wash his hair. He thought again about his short conversation with the man earlier who gave him the keys to the car and a manila folder with more informations. He didn't like to feel restless so he was looking forward to his job. Next he wrapped himself in a soft towel and took a sip of a water. It was late and even if his job started next night, he still had a free morning so he decided to do a little sightseeing. Then he had to attend… a banquet.

The banquet was organized by one of the ex-umbrella scientist, Liam Jenkins, and it was a private and rather secret gathering. The guy resigned from his work but the government was keeping an eye on him as they received the information that he had a secret lab somewhere in Canada. Leon had an invitation only because one of the scientist working with the government managed to get one and Leon's job was to get in, find the informations about where the scientist’s lab was and at all cost, destroy it. It was the first part of the job that made Leon nervous. Killing zombies and creatures was one thing but pretending to be someone? At least he didn't have to talk with all the people there. He only had to get in and spy a little around the house for information. Maybe chat a little with some scientist’s friends there. He was prepared, the doctor explained him his work but Leon didn't want to tempt his luck. In the worst case scenario, he will need to use all his charm and maybe for the first time his boyish face wouldn't be a curse.

Leon put on boxers and t-shirt and started reading the folder but after spending half of his day in a journey, he quickly fall asleep.

The next day he took his wallet and went to eat breakfast somewhere in the city. It was a beautiful morning, only few clouds on the sky but despite the delicious meal he still couldn't calm his nerves.

‘Get it together, Kennedy. It's a place full of snobs, not undead creatures. You can do it’ he calmed himself. He was sitting on the terrace, eating slowly his breakfast. A nice and pretty waitress asked him if he wanted more juice, some old lady smiled to him from the shop across the street and the weather was rather nice for a moment. He looked like a random tourist but it was all an illusion. Even if he tried to relax, the thoughts about his assignment were still present in his head. Not only that; Since he escaped Raccoon City, everytime he tried to do something normal, like hanging out in the city, he didn't feel like he belonged there. The sight of the living should calm his nerves yet every shadow made him think that there may be an undead creature there. In the end he gave up and paid for the meal and left the cosy restaurant. He looked for a coffee shop and wandered around the city to do a little tour and actually act like a tourist.

As he was sipping his coffee he realized that he should go back to the hotel. It was getting late and he still needed to look somehow convincing for the banquet. The first drops of the rain fell on his nose and he quickened his steps as he hadn't taken any umbrella from the hotel. The raindrops turned into a hard rain and he almost started running when suddenly Leon’s eyes caught something on the other side of the road.

He could barely see thanks to the rain but everyone could spot the woman in the red coat under a big, red umbrella.

Leon stopped.

Could it be?

The woman was standing under the umbrella like she was observing him. He couldn’t see her face but the posture was similar. Leon blinked again, his heart beating rapidly.

It couldn’t be possible. He watched her die, she slipped from his hand, she fell into the void with debris. There was no way she could survive this… Or could she? It was ‘her’ after all.

“Ada?” Leon whispered, knowing that calling her was useless as the street was noisy from the crowd and cars.

He slowly approached the pedestrian crossing, waiting for the green light to cross the street. The woman slightly raised the umbrella. He almost saw her face when suddenly a big truck crossed the street. The light turned green but the woman disappeared.

Leon crossed the street and went to the place she was before. There was no trace of her. Maybe it was only his imagination or rather obsession over Ada? He had never learnt the truth after all. Was it all lies? Was he really an useful tool for her and nothing more? Why didn’t she shoot him then? She could easily obtain the virus by shooting him in the first place. But she didn’t do it.

He knew why she was still present in his mind. He was feeling guilty that he didn’t manage to save her even if she had lied to him. He felt stupid for believing her in the first place. He was a fool but was she that bad? Who was she even?

_Take care of yourself, Leon_

He watched her disappear in the darkness. He felt her hand slipping away.

The spot was empty. He looked around but he didn't see her nor anybody in a red coat. It must have been his mind playing tricks on him as he was still tired from the flight.

Leon raised his head and looked at the building in front of him. It was the hotel he was staying at and from the spot he was standing, he could easily see the windows of his room.

  
***

  
He didn’t know whose idea it was, but the suit the government ‘provided’ him was dark and also had a scarlet shirt.

“Great,” He chuckled. He wished Claire could see this , she would have a good laugh. She was always calling Ada “the women in the red” despite the fact that she knew her name.

He put on the whole piece, brushed his hair and tried to make them more ‘professional’. In the end he put some strands behind his ear and ended his ‘makeover’ with a black tie. He never liked them, always felt like he was suffocating in them and tonight was no exception. But tonight he was not Leon S. Kennedy but Andrew Jefferson, the doctor specialising in cosmetic surgery.

The black car was standing outside the hotel, waiting for him and Leon entered it. Inside he saw the same guy he talked with yesterday and, after a few minutes of silence and tension, the man started a conversation with him.

“Have you seen the city, Agent Kennedy?”

‘Agent’ still sounded so stupid for him. He felt like a character in an action movie but looking at the things that happened to him, he wasn't that wrong.

“Only parts of it. Unfortunately, it started raining.”

The guy laughed.

“That's Vancouver. Always raining. Is this your first job?”

“First alone.”

“Well, better watch out. The government is counting on you.”

He didn't know what was the point of this conversation because it didn't calmed his nerves but maybe the guy wanted to make fun of him. After all this whole mission felt stupid. He preferred to be surrounded by zombies rather than pretending someone he wasn't. He was Leon, a guy from a simple and traditional family, teached by his parents that kindness is one of the most important values in your life, not a snob doctor who's going to a party in an expensive suit with a chauffeur.

The man informed him that he will be waiting for him in case of emergency. Leon hoped his cover won't blow up.

The party was in a big house which was the property of Liam Jenkins. Leon only could suspect how much Umbrella scientist earned just by looking at the porch. He showed his invitation to the waiter outside the house.

“This way Mr Jefferson,” he invited him.

Leon shrugged, reminding himself that it was his fake name and went inside, sending him a small smile. The people gathered there were wearing fancy clothes; Women in a jewelry worth probably his annual salary and men in suits similar to his own. Not wanting to be spotted by anybody as probably his young look was already being noticed by women, he tried to stay out of the centre.

He looked around and he spotted Doctor Liam. He was a guy in his forties, currently chatting with a young woman whose face was not visible. Leon knew that there was no point in talking with him as he would probably say something stupid and if the guy knew the real Andrew, he was screwed. Leon looked nothing like him.

“Excuse me, young man!”

Someone grabbed his arm. It was a lady in a golden dress with a lot of makeup, covering all her wrinkles.

“I'm not sure I recognize you.”

Leon wanted to punch himself. He wasn't even there 10 minutes!

“I'm doctor Andrew Jefferson, I’m working at-”

“Oh, you're probably from that young new team! I'm sorry I just wanted to get to know you. Excuse an old lady for wanting to chat with such a charming young man,” she blinked to him.

Oh, so she only wanted to flirt with him. That he could survive. He smiled to her and she blushed.

“No problem, madame. And what is your name?”

“I'm Josephine. I'm not a doctor, my husband is but he's always taking me to these boring gatherings,” she joked.

“Well, it's my first time so it's nice to know someone who knows more about events like that,” he admitted with an awkward smile and she laughed again.

“Oh, you charmer! Sadly, my husband is coming. Dear, come here! Meet doctor Jefferson!”

Leon hoped that the husband won't recognize him either but just like the lady, he didn't know ‘the real him’. The luck was on his side tonight. Or so he hoped.

He didn't want to be rude so he chatted a bit with the couple thinking where he should start looking.

That's when he spotted her.

A dashing red dress that emphasized all her curves, widened at the bottom and made from the fabric that was sparkling a bit under the light from the chandeliers. There was a deep cut in neckline and her hair was pinned up with a silver butterfly pin.

Leon could blame his tiredness or obsession every time he thought he spotted her.

But not this time.

This time he was sure it was Ada.

Alive and beautiful as always. The question was, how?

She smiled to him and waved with her glass of champagne. She was real.

“Mr Jefferson, are you okay? You look a little bit pale,” Josephine asked him and Leon looked at her and smiled.

“I think I’m a bit unwell. Excuse me for a moment,” he smiled awkwardly at them and then he looked back in Ada’s direction.

But of course the spy was gone. He was sure she was there which meant only one thing - troubles.

 

***

 

Leon knew that he didn’t come here to party so he went down to his work. Pretending that he wanted to go to the bathroom he sneaked into the mansion. He avoided all guards and waiters and went unseen to the upper floor. He knew that if he wanted to look for informations the best way was to find Jenkin’s room and preferably, his computer. He looked inside some of the rooms, cursing rich people for having so many bedrooms and finally found what he was looking for.

He went inside and looked around. There were some folders and documents but the turned on laptop was what caught his attention. The luck was really on his side as he scrolled through the open email box. There, after some minutes of nervous scrolling, he found a correspondence with another scientist. Jenkins invited her to his laboratory to work on his ‘new work’. There was a code there and Leon quickly recognized it as coordinates. There it was-

“Found what you were looking for?”

He spun around. His gun, which was hidden under his jacket during the banquet, met with point of another gun.

It was Ada.

“So, it was you?”

She smirked and her head bowed down a bit. It reminded him of their moment on the bridge, just right before her ‘death’.

“Glad to see you in one piece, Leon, although I didn’t take you as spy. Weren’t you a cop?”

“It’s a bit ironic coming from mouth of a fbi worker who turned out to be a spy, don’t you think?”

It felt just like in the Raccoon city. Them bantering and flirting but Leon felt the unsolved tension and it was not because of the fact that the two of them were pointing a gun at each other.

“I think you have some explanation to give me,” Leon said bitterly. Half of him was glad that she was alive, that he could stop feeling guilty that she slipped from his hand. The other half was angry at her that she didn’t contact him to tell him that she was alive and because of that, he was thinking that she was dead for the past two years.

Ada opened her mouth, but she quickly shut them. She lowered her gun and hid it under her dress just in the same moment Leon heard the voices. He did the same with his own and when the door opened, Ada quickly put his arm around her waist and put her own on his back.

“Oh, thank you so much for helping me,” she said to him with a weak voice.

Liam Jenkins opened the door with two guards and looked suspiciously at the two of them but his look quickly changed to concern.

“Miss Lang, are you alright?”

Lang? Was it another Ada’s name? Leon should have known that ‘Ada Wong’ was probably one of her alias as well.

“Yes, I felt a bit unwell so I asked one of your guest to take me upstairs.”

Liam approached them and he was quickly by Ada’s side with the look of concern. Then he looked at Leon.

“Thank you for helping my date, I will take care from here.”

Leon felt so stupid for that pang of jealousy that went through his mind. Of course he was one of her conquests, seduced just like he was in the Raccoon City. She was probably looking for the lab too.

He took a step back, the warmth of her arm leaving him. He could still smell her perfumes as she was so close to him. She gave him a look but he ignored her. Now was not the time for their talk. Leon had a thought that he will see her very soon. It wasn’t a coincidence that she wrapped Liam around her finger too.

“Of course, sir. I will leave you two,” he smiled and left the room.

Having the coordinates he knew that the first step of the mission was done yet he didn’t feel a joy.

He was young and stupid because all he could see was Ada with her arm wrapped around Liam.

 

***

  
He wanted to go unnoticed but as he returned, Josephine spotted him in a second and presented to rest of her ‘friends’.

Women.

He excused them, saying that he was feeling unwell and went outside. The car was already waiting for him. When he was back at the hotel, he was ready to change back into some more comfortable clothes and go straight into the action. He knew he didn’t have much time before Jenkins will return to his lab and the road to the place was around two hours.

His mission was to blew up the lab in case the rumor was right and Jenkins was indeed working on B.O.W.s which was still not confirmed. So firstly he had to take a tour around the lab and then destroy the place.

He hoped that the government was wrong but if he was an ex-umbrella scientist, then he probably created some of Leon’s ‘old friends’.

As he opened the door to his room Leon immediately knew something was wrong.

It was just a feeling because the door was locked, his things were untouched at first sight but he smelled women's perfumes. He knew that smell.

“Are you going to stand here all night?” he asked and the light went on.

Ada was standing in his bedroom, still in her dashing, red dress.

“Well, I was hoping you will invite the lady,” she said.

Leon snorted and took off his jacket.

“You invited yourself anyway.”

“I love your shirt by the way. Red… does look good on you,” she looked at him seductively and sat down on his bed, her hand slowly caressing the bed linens.

It was so unreal, her in his room in a red dress, looking beautiful and mysterious. Leon wanted to pinch himself to make sure that this was not a dream.

He cleared his throat being a bit embarrassed by her comment.

“What about your date?” he immediately winced after saying this. Now he sounded like a jealous teenager. Great Kennedy.

She smiled to him.

“Are you jealous?”

Oh god, she knew him too well which was weird because they knew each other for… a night actually. Now Leon felt even more stupid about his crush.

“No, just concerned about your intentions. They’re not usually good, aren’t they?”

She lowered her eyes.

“I’m only doing my job, just like you, Leon. And about Jenkins… he’s sleeping at this moment.”

Leon gave her a surprised look. Did she…?

“No, I didn’t kill him. I only anesthetized him so he will be unconscious for a while which is why we don’t have much time.”

She stood up and took her bag which he didn’t notice earlier.

“We? I’m sorry, I don’t remember me inviting you.”

“You didn’t but you will need me,” she smirked and he only crossed his arms. His look was stern and doubtful.

“And why is that?”

She looked inside her bag and took a card from it. A key card.

“Because you might know the place but I have the key. So, what will you say, just like the old times?”

He suddenly remember the day when he followed her like stupid in the end to save her from the bullet and then from the Annette’s trap. But it was also her who helped him.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Oh, stop it, I know you want it. There’s a long way before us so we might have some time...to talk.”

There was something different in her tone of the voice but she smiled to him anyway. Only this time it was more genuine.

Leon sighed, giving up.

“Fine, you’re coming with me.”

“Great. Now, as much as I love your ass in this suit, put something more comfortable. I like that leather jacket you had this morning,” she blinked at him and disappeared behind bathroom doors probably to change her dress into something more suitable for their trip. Remembering what she was wearing in Raccoon city Leon knew she will look good as always.

When she closed the door he put his hands into his hair and groaned.

He was screwed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is, chapter 2! Full of feels and some action!
> 
> Once again I didn't have beta but well, take it. I did what I could with it!  
> Also thank you for evey kudos and comment <3

Leon felt like he was dreaming. He was sitting in a car, driving through a dark forest with… Ada beside him. He wanted to pinch himself because of this unreal situation but the smell of her perfumes was a proof enough for him that he wasn’t dreaming.

She was wearing a red (of course) and tight sleeveless shirt with a black jacket. She also had a jeans that emphasized nicely her legs (it's not like he stared) with high boots. It was a different outfit from her previous dress but she was still looking marvellous.

“I'm surprised you're silent this long,” she mocked him, her hand on a cheek as she glanced at him.

“I just… don't know even where to start,” he admitted with his hands on a wheel.

“Just ask, Leon.”

“Will you answer?”

“Just the questions I can.”

He snorted. Of course. She sighed after a moment.

“We have a long way ahead of us and this tension is going to kill us sooner or later. Remember we have a job to do.”

He had a job, she… He wasn't sure what were her intentions. Maybe he should start from there.

“Who are you working for?”

“I can't tell, you know that. You can do better than this, Leon.”

She was like a walking enigma for him. To be honest, before he asked, he knew he wouldn't get the answer yet he wanted to try anyway.

“Should I consider you as a threat to my mission?”

She laughed this time.

“Was I ever a threat for you?”

“Wasn't you? In Raccoon?” he knew he was walking on a thin ice here.

“I didn't ask you to take a bullet for me, Leon. I gave you a choice and you followed me anyway.”

He knew she was right yet it hurt. He sighed thinking again about the horrible NEST laboratory.

“How did you...survive?”

 _I watched you die… felt your hand slipping from mine…_ That's what he wanted to tell her but he shut his mouth. He didn’t want to sound that desperate.

“I thought… I wouldn't make it firstly. I somehow managed to land safely, found a hookshot and it helped me to get outside the lab. Thanks to bullet wound I thought I will bleed to death, not to mention that stab wound from sewers but I survived.”

He felt like it was a really shortened version of what happened in Raccoon but he didn’t press on her. There was no point in this, she told him what she considered appropriate for him to know. The irony here was that he took a bullet for her but she ended with a bullet wound anyway thanks to the scientist. He snorted and she gave him a look.

“So, in the end I didn't save you. And… We probably have matching scars.”

She smiled.

“Well, you can say that.”

He saw his own scar everytime he took off his clothes. He felt it itching now and he fought an urge to scratch.

“But you made it.”

“I did, barely avoided the zombies. Saved your ass again.”

He raised his eyebrows. What was she talking about?

“What, you thought that a rocket launcher miracuously landed just under your feets?”

He smiled. He should have suspected that.

“So, it was you. Thank you… I'm not sure if I would have been able to win that fight without it.”

The sight of a mutated Tyrant was still engraved in his dreams. The big clawed hand piercing his body as he fell down in his nightmares.

“I'm sure you could do it.”

There was silence again between them as Leon decided to not turn on the radio.

“And what about later?”

“Obviously, I was saved by the people I work with.”

He nodded feeling that was probably all he could get from the spy. At least he learned something new.

  
***

Ada Wong didn't know Leon would be in Canada.

When she learned that her mission was to discover the location of Jenkin's lab she decided that the easiest way was to use all her charms and seduce the doctor.

Liam was an easy piece of cake. Not very handsome but she only planned to flirt with him a little to get closer to him. When he saw her for the first time she knew she had a leverage. He was charmed by her instantly, just distant a bit. After a few dates she was finally invited to his mansion for what appeared to be a banquet. A perfect occasion to spy and look around.

Few days before the event she was informed by the Organization that the government was on Liam's trail too and they sent an agent. Curiosity was her weakness so of course she wanted to know who was the government’s puppy.

She didn't expect it to be Leon S. Kennedy.

She couldn’t tell how much he changed as he was walking on the other side of the street where she was standing under her umbrella. She would lie if she said that she didn't think of him even once.

Their meeting was under horrible circumstances but it changed her a lot.

Before she was just a merciless spy but now… She still couldn't find an answer why she didn't shoot him. Was it because he took a bullet for her? Was it because of his kindness and puppy eyes? He was naive young rookie and she was a master of seduction, yet she felt like it was him who wrapped her around his finger.

That day she was sure Leon spotted her under the umbrella and she smiled. She looked forward to their future meeting.

Seeing him at the gathering in the fine suit only fired up her desire to talk with him, to tease him, to show him that she was alive. He didn’t change that much. Similar haircut, young face, not so boyish as it used to be but still handsome and charming.

Sitting with him in a car, working together once again was unreal for her. They had the same goal and even if she knew that his was to blow up the place, she decided to tag along to gather the informations the Organization sent her for. They weren’t happy that someone from Umbrella was still continuing their researches yet they wanted her to obtain all details about Jenkin’s study. Typical.

She still couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that Leon ended somehow as a government agent. How this happened? She knew he was alive but she had never looked into him as she didn't want the Organization to notice her interest in him. They knew she came across him in Raccoon which was already too much.

It was her time to ask questions.

“So, tell me, how did you end up as a government agent?”

She noticed his arms tensing as he was still driving the car.

“I'm surprised you don't know,” he teased her and she smiled.

“I'm a spy, not a stalker. I want you to tell me about it.”

“After the Raccoon City I was alone with Claire, the girl I met at the beginning of this nightmare. She was accompanied by a little kid, Sherry.”

She looked at him curiously.

“Sherry Birkin?”

“Yeah, a charming little girl. I had to protect them as we didn't know if it was only the city that was infected. Fortunately, we managed to get to a safe place and Claire had to left us to look for her brother. I promised her to take care of Sherry.”

Of course he had. Leon was that kind of guy who was easily attached to a person, even if he knew them for a short time. He did the same with her.

“But, as you can probably imagine, the government somehow learned that Birkin's daughter escaped. They surrounded us and interrogated me, thinking I was working with Birkins which was ridiculous as I still had my badge. They suspected that Sherry was infected with T-virus which was bullshit of course. She was only tired and scared.”

Of course they had, it was Birkin's daughter after all. She wouldn't be surprised if the crazy scientist infected their own daughter.

“They took her from you?”

“She's with a foster family right now. I can see her from time to time.”

He was silent for a moment, probably thinking again about that day.

“So why ‘Agent Kennedy’?” she teased him but that didn’t help to resolve the tension.

“After the interrogations the government offered me a job and I took it.”

She frowned.

“That's bullshit, we both know it Leon.”

“They gave me a choice, Ada…”

“Let me guess, accept the job and see Sherry or say goodbye? Am I right?”

She knew she was right by the brief, pained look on his face.

“They threatened you Leon, that's not a choice.”

“And what should I do then, Ada? Become a mercenary just like you? It's not like I could join a force after all this.You don’t forget the faces of your dead coworkers that easily, not to mention that I don’t think the government would let me continue work as police officer after everything I saw. At least this one felt… right. I still can help people.”

But at what cost. She looked at Leon once again. Now she noticed how much he changed from the naive rookie she saw back then in Raccoon. He was still young but his face looked a bit sharper after these two years. She also noticed the dark bruises under his eyes. They could be caused by tiredness caused by his flight but after what he had said, she knew that he was probably suffering from insomnia. She understood. His first day at work was a nightmare, most of his coworkers that he had never had a chance to meet were dead and then there was the Tyrant that was creeping on them in every corner. Sometimes she also had nightmares. She was used to the sight of dying people but the undead creatures? It was something that made even her wake up, drenched in sweat, in the middle of the night. She quickly got used to it.

“So, what does your parents say about this?”

Leon always seemed like ‘mamma boy’ for her ,so she was sure that when he finished academy, his parents must have been really proud of him. Maybe Leon’s father was a cop too?

“They think… I'm dead.”

Her parents died when she was a little kid. Being an orphan in such a young age made her strong yet emotionless for a time. She didn't remember her mother kindness or her father toughness. She only remembered the sight of their dead bodies.

For someone who still had their parents and had to pretend that he was dead… That was unacceptable. Even for her.

“Of course,” she snorted.

Leon was silent for a moment and she couldn't blame him. She struck a nerve here and they were still tense after their previous conversation. They couldn't just resolve a problem like that by one talk.

“When I was a kid… Me and my dad liked to play spies… or resolve detective puzzles. We had a special code for our messages… I'm planning to write a message to my dad saying that I'm alive but just not now when the government still doesn't trust me and follows my every move.”

And that was her boy.

She smiled to him.

“Should I be concerned then?” she used her seductive tone and he smiled slightly. The tension resolved a bit.

“We will see about that. I think we're here,” Leon stopped the car and she indeed noticed the big house in front of them. The parked a bit further from it to hide the car.

“Well, it looks rather normal,” Leon said and she smiled to him.

“Didn't Raccoon teach you anything?”

He sighed and left the car. She followed him and straightened her clothes. It was dark so she took out her flashlight. Leon had his own too.

He took his gun and some amo and she checked her as well.

“After you,” she teased him and he went first.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied with the familiar nickname. She smiled again, glad that they were somehow on their teasing-flirting side rather than ready to start another war.

The house was modern and near the door they saw a little keyboard with security system. She took the keycard, inserted the code she had discovered earlier while she was browsing thought Liam’s things and the door opened.

“So, not only a keycard but a code too?” Leon raised eyebrows and she sent him a smile.

“Well, it’s good that you didn’t try to take the card away from me, it would be useless.”

She heard him sighing.

“Of course you had planned it.”

It was dark inside so she flashed some light for Leon as he pointed the gun. He wanted to turn on the lights but she stopped his hand.

“Don’t. We don’t know if the place is guarded.”

He nodded and closed the door.

“Any ideas where the big lab might be?”

“Where every ‘secret’ lab is - underground. The question is, where we will find the secret door?” They were walking slowly with their guns ready to use as they looked around the house.

“Well, if we’re going with the cliches then we should probably find his bureau.”

“Good thinking. We should separate.”

Leon turned around and looked at her with a doubtful look.

“I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“It will be faster.”

He frowned and crossed his arms. She sent him a little smile.

“Are you worried about me?”

“Worried? Yes, that you might do something that I won’t like.”

She sighed and went forward, looking for the bureau. It should be on the ground floor if the lab was indeed underground.

“You should give me some more credit, Leon.”

“Yeah, because that ended so well last time.”

“Well, I didn’t take the sample from you, didn’t I?”

“No, but you died.”

She almost stopped. The pain in his voice was so visible even if he tried to hid it. She knew that hiding the fact that she was alive was cruel but she also did that to protect him. The fact that government was interested in his knowledge was enough. If the organization discovered how much he knew, he would be dead. Pretending to be dead for two years was hard as she somehow missed him but it was better to stay in shadows. She did that also for her own protection. Ada Wong didn’t have weaknesses.

“I think I see the bureau,” Leon said to change the subject.

They entered the room and closed the door again. The house looked empty but she felt like someone was watching them. There was no way that the lab was not guarded. Leon started to look around with his flashlight and she went to the desk to glance at the documents that were laying there. Leon was suddenly next to her and she could almost feel his breath on her neck as he took one of it to inspect. He smelled nice.

“It’s a garbage,” she explained to him. “We won’t find anything worthy here. What we need is to find a doorway. A button, a special card, anything that will open the lab.”

She went towards the bookshelf and started shifting the books to loof for a secret mechanic to open the passage. Leon on the other side was standing in front of the three paintures that were hanging above the fireplace.

“You know, I hate that all the scientist love puzzles. I mean, do they do that because of the boredom or to prove their intelligence?” he asked not looking at her and she smiled thinking about the puzzles they came across in the Raccoon City.

“They’re just assholes, Leon. Are suddenly interested in art?” she teased him knowing what he was meaning.

He smiled to her and looked again at the art.

“No, I’m just using my ‘Raccoon experience’,” he joked and then he shifted the paintures so now they created a picture of DNA. Really original. There was a sound and one of the fake brick from the fireplace shifted and there was the button.

“Good job,” she said to him and he just smirked.

“See? Keycard and code wouldn’t be enough.”

They saw an elevator. Leon moved away.

“After you, ma’am.”

She entered it and Leon followed her. He prepared his gun and she pushed the button. The elevator moved and she was starting to prepare herself mentally for what they would discover there.

“I wasn’t joking earlier, Ada,” Leon said suddenly and she looked at him curiously. “I agreed to take you with me but this is different than Raccoon. I am here on behalf of the government. I’m not a rookie anymore, if you will be a threat to my mission-,”

He didn’t end but she knew what he wanted to say. This time there won’t be any hesitation but she knew that he would never hurt her. Just like she could never hurt him.

“I will help you destroy the lab, Leon. It’s my job too,” And to obtain Liam’s research but that she couldn’t let him know.

The elevator stopped and he went out first. She was using the flashlight to show them their way. With the guns pointed in front of them they started moving. The lab reminded her once again of the NEST and all the horrors they found there.

It was silent, they only heard their footsteps but she knew that at some point they will come across someone. The question was - will it be ‘somebody’ or ‘something’.

“Just like the old times, huh?” Leon joked, trying to loosen up the atmosphere but she could notice the nervousness in his voice. She knew she could rely on him. Even as a rookie he was a great fighter and saved their ass many times during Raccoon but that doesn’t mean that he was immune to the horrors they saw there.

“We will see about this,” they saw a door and she used the keycard once again.

 _‘Welcome Doctor Jenkins’_ the woman’s voice welcomed them, similar to the one from the Umbrella lab. The lights in the room immediately lit up, almost blinding her, and they saw a lot of computers and research stations.

 _Bingo_ , she thought. She went to one of the computers while Leon went to another station.   
Taking advantage of the fact that he was not paying attention to her, she used her hacking device on the computer. After a moment she had access to everything.

Just like the Organization thought, Jenkins was continuing the work of the Umbrella. Everything was right in front of her. She took her memory stick and started downloading everything.

“Jesus Christ, did Raccoon not teach them anything?” Leon whispered and she glanced at him. He pushed one of the buttons and a metal wall went up. Behind there were two containers; In one of them were a licker, in other a plant monster from NEST lab.

She saw how he clenched his fists. Poor naive Leon, did he really thought that the crazy scientist wouldn’t want to continue what Umbrella started?

She wanted do say something to him but then the lights went red.

_‘Attention! An unauthorized person entered the lab’_

“I think Liam finally woke up,” she joked and Leon looked at her.

“I already informed my partner about keeping an eye on Liam so he won’t be a threat. We need to access a security system and destroy this place. This monsters can’t get away from here” he looked at the other computer again and she took discreetly the memory stick.

“Right, we need to move anyway, who knows what else is here-”

“Wait! Did you hear that?”

Leon suddenly looked at her again. She went silent and tried to understand what he had meant. She didn’t hear anything.

“I don’t know what are you-”

Then she heard it.

Thump thump.

A really loud footsteps, somehow so familiar.

Did Liam-

“Ada watch out!”

She heard Leon screaming for her and turned around to see the creature but she only saw a big fist and then everything went dark.

 

***

 

_29th september 1998, Raccoon City_

_It rained that night._

_When she first heard about her mission, she imagined an easy quest. Obtaining a virus sample didn’t sound that hard and she did steal few thing before. She was a mercenary after all._

_What she did see was a different thing. She wasn’t prepared, a high heels and a dress wasn’t the best outfit to fight infected but she was a professional. She could fight in everything without complaining._

_She was looking for Ben, a journalist who was interested in Umbrella's research too, just like ‘The Organization’, when her situation changed._

_She was used to working alone all the time._

_That's why she didn't want the boy to help her._

_She wasn't sure why she helped him in the first place. She saw him being attacked by these damn hellish dogs and she just shot. The boy was young and in a police uniform. Just her luck. She didn't want a police puppy on her trail._

_She introduced herself as FBI, a last minute cover. She even had the fake id, always prepared for everything._

_The boy believed her._

_She tried to lose him, Ben was her only goal and then finding Annette, but her luck wasn't on her side. Wherever she went she saw that boy. He found Ben, or more like what was left of him, first. The boy's name was actually Leon. He introduced himself politely even in time like this._

_She didn’t know why she didn’t just leave him but instead she gave him her fake name she had chosen for that night. One of the many, without any special meaning back then._

_Seeing him being choked by that monstrous creature made her help him again._

_‘I didn’t realize you were keeping score’ he joked when she told him that she saved his ass twice. A funny one then. Maybe he wasn't that naive. She smiled._

_She didn't push him away this time._

_She was used to work alone but his presence was useful and helpful. It also gave her a sense of security which was stupid. She was capable of taking care of herself. She didn't need anyone’s help, a man's especially._

_But he was different._

_She didn't tell him everything. She told him lies._

_He followed her anyway._

_Call it a stupid sense of duty, he was a police officer after all but Leon wanted to follow her nevertheless ._

_He told her he wanted to help people. She noticed that. He was one of the kind persons, not destroyed by world of corruption and undead creatures. Not yet._

_She told him another lie, this time it wasn't that easy for her._

_She should push him away but she ignored her conscience. She actually enjoyed his company._

_She was used to take care of herself. Every wound was stitched by her, she carried her pain alone. Always alone._

_But it was him who took a bullet for her._

_For him it was a simple action, saving a civilian._

_For her it changed everything. No one in her life was ready to take a bullet, to die for her._

_No one but Leon S. Kennedy._

_He didn't know her but he jumped in front of the gun anyway. He was ready to give his life away for her protection. Why? He only knew her few hours._

_She should left him and carry on her mission but she didn't do it immediately. The sight of Leon, lying unconscious with bleeding arm made her forget for a moment why she was even here. She dressed the wound and left her coat on him. A stupid gesture but it felt like she was giving him a protection._

_Just the first moments without him by her side felt weird. She was only with him few hours but his lack of voice already made her uneasy._

_When she felt down into the junkyard and the barn stabbed her leg for the first time she wanted him back by her side._

_He found her anyway with his boyish smile._

_She couldn't let herself rely on anyone._

_But Ada Wong could. Ada could open her shell for Leon._

_Ada Wong wasn't just one of another fake alias that night. It was the beginning of her new life. Ada Wong was born that night and the name wasn’t so meaningless anymore._

 

***

 

“Come on, open your eyes,” Leon whispered with a worried voice.

He caressed Ada's cheek with his hand and then exhaled when she finally flinched and opened her eyes.

“Leon,” she whispered and he smiled weakly. He took away some of her hair and saw blood on her forehead. Fortunately, it was only a scratch.

“Finally back to the world of living,” he joked. She blinked at him, still a bit dazed after the hit.

“Your hair,” she said and after a moment she smiled. “They're longer. Suits you.”

He blinked at her and smiled as well.

“That's the first thing you have to say?” he sighed. “You scared me a bit.”

He didn't know what was worst. The sight of ‘it’ once again or her falling down unconscious. It was like in Raccoon all over again.

With the big creature in the trench coat.

With her dying.

“Leon, look at me,” This time it was her who put her hand on his cheek. “What happened? You look pale.”

He didn't even notice that his hands were shaking. He took a deep breath to easen his slightly labored breathing. He needed to be strong. There was no point in contemplating about the past. He had ‘an experience’ after all and the government was counting on him. It wasn’t just surviving anymore, it was his job now and he should get used to the sight of the familiar creatures.

“It was it. The Tyrant, it's here. Jenkins somehow managed to recreate or sneak it, I’m not sure. It was it who hit you.”

From all of the hellish creatures, ‘Trenchy’ was the last he suspected here. But it was here again. Not the same, slightly different, without a trench coat and a hat but the hellish face was the same. Just like the grey skin and dead eyes.

“What did you do to it?”

He laughed nervously.

“Just the old trick, put as many bullets I could, grabbed you and run away. We’re in one of the rooms and I think I lost it for a moment.”

Just when he finished a screeching voice broke the silence and then there was that distant footsteps, so familiar. Looks like the moment was over.

“I've got a bad message too. Jenkins alarm somehow released all the creatures he had here. That was probably a licker so we gotta fight a bit. Can you do it?”

She smiled and stood up without his help. Ada straightened her posture and caressed her clothes. She looked ready to fight as she took her gun. Even with a small scratch she looked deady and marvellous as always. He tried to not stare too much.

“Shouldn't I ask you the same question?”

He was surprised the first moment he saw the same creatures but he could make it. Nothing he didn't face before. She probably noticed his earlier shock. He gave her a little smirk.

“Don't worry about me. I'm okay.”

“So what's the plan?”

“While I was running away I passed the corridor to the main console. I think the security should be there. We need to go there but-”

The clicking sound of NEST plants was outside the doors.

“We need to take care of the monsters. Good.”

“We don't have the flamethrower so shoot them in the yellow points. They will be back but it will slow them down a bit. We only need to make it to the console and blow this place. Try to avoid them. The lickers are our real problem here.”

“You forgot the most important part,” she teased him and he looked at her again. “We need to survive as well.”

He smiled. Her presence calmed his nerves. She was alive, she was okay. He didn't fail her for the second time.

“That too. I’ll go first.”

“You’re taking me to a good dinner after this. You still have some bullets?”

He nodded and then slowly went to the door. He looked at Ada and she gave him a sign to open the door.

The plant turned around and it screamed with it's clicking voice. The green tentacles attacked him but he managed to avoid them and shot it in it's weak points. With Ada's help, his better aim after Raccoon and almost two years of practicing, the plant was down in a moment.

“Quickly, we don't have much time!”

Ada followed him. He didn't bother with flashlight as the red lights were still present. It made the lab even more creepier.

Just as they turned around there was another plant behind the corner. It wanted to grab him with its green tentacles but he quickly grabbed his knife from a pocket and sliced it with a perfect cut. It wanted to send another tentacle for him but Ada's was by him in a moment and shot the monster in its head. It screamed and backed down so they had a chance to escape.

“Back to saving your ass, huh?” she joked and in the same time Leon noticed another plant behind her. He shot it quickly in the yellow point on it’s ‘arm’. The plant screamed and withdrew for a moment.

“You better watch out yours,” he replied with snark too and they went forward, running. They didn't know how many monsters were there so it was better to move quickly. He passed some containers with god knows what earlier when he was carrying Ada and he didn’t want to see all of their content.

He was only worried about the Trenchy who wasn't wearing a trench coat this time.

He should find a new nickname for it.

There was also that licker in the first room.

They heard a familiar scream.

So here it was.

The ugly creature spun at them with its inhuman speed and both of them put bullets in it. It almost jumped at Ada, with its tongue ready to attack the woman but he was faster.

He was by her side in a moment and with a precise shot, he hit its head. The licker was dead but he couldn't celebrate his victory as he noticed two more coming.

He tried to shoot them but they were moving really quickly, jumping from place to place avoiding the bullets. One of them jumped on him with its claws. He felt down, his left arm hitting the floor and he hissed in pain. He saw Ada fighting with the other one and fortunately she managed to take it down quickly. The licker tried to bite him but he was struggling with the creature, using all his strength. No way in hell this fucker will be the one who will take him down. He tried to use his legs but this one didn’t want to leave him at all cost. He saw that Ada wanted to help him but with the moving creature on him he knew she couldn't shoot it.

“Take it!” he shouted and tossed his knife to her. She grabbed it graciously and quickly moved and jumped on the creature, putting the knife in its head. It was dead in a moment.

He exhaled and threw away the monster. He winced a bit.

“Are you hurt?” she asked him with a concern.

“Not exactly. I just felt on my left arm.”

Her eyebrows slightly raised. With a careful movements she touched his arm knowing what he meant.

“Is it the bullet wound?”

“Yeah, it bothers me sometimes. We need to move on. More is probably coming.”

 

***

 

_30th september 1998, Outside Raccoon City_

_Leon couldn’t believe that they actually made it. The city full of nightmares was behind their back as they were walking on the roadside, the sun shining. When he was in the sewers he thought sometimes that he will never see the sun again._

_But here he was, back on the road with Claire and little Sherry by his side._

_The question was, what now?_

_They were all covered in dirt as they were walking slowly down the road and all of them were tired. They were walking for few hours now and there was nothing in their sight. Not even a gas station._

_Not to mention his arm was a pain in the ass. After his adrenaline died and he finally could take a break, only then he felt the damage of the wound. It was hurting him awfully and he only prayed that it was not infected after spending hours in god knows what. He didn’t want to worry girls. Of course they knew he was hurt as the bandage was visible and still bloodied but he told them it was nothing. He tried to convince himself that the sweat on his forehead was from the heat, not from the fever._

_“Leon, are you okay? You’re a little bit pale,” Claire asked him after he was silent for probably an hour. Sherry was talking all the time, asking them about various stuff and he was nice for her at the beginning but then it was only Claire who talked. He was just tired, not rude._

_“I’m fine. I just hope we will came across something,” he gave her a weak smile and she smiled too._

_“I would love to eat something,” Sherry groaned and Claire ruffed her hair_

_“Well, I would kill for some water. And a shower, we all stink.”_

_He gave them a little smile and they continued walking._

_Few hours later, when the sun was setting slowly, they finally came across a house on the rim of another city._

_He knew that he should protect the girls, he was a police officer (was he?) but it was Claire who volunteered to knock on the doors. He had a hand on his gun, Sherry by his side as the girl knocked._

_It was opened by an elderly man accompanied by a woman, probably his wife._

_He didn’t hear what they were saying as Claire was talking to them and pointing at them. He somehow saw their surprised faces and then he saw Sherry’s worried face as the whole world went black._

_He didn’t remember fainting._

_It was embarrassing but he remembered that he was in so much pain that he just gave up. He failed to protect the girls. Just like he failed to protect that guy at the station, then Marvin… and then Ada._

_“Back in the world of living?”_

_He heard Claire’s voice and he finally opened his eyes. He felt hot and his arm was throbbing but he noticed that he was not on a road anymore but in a comfortable bed with new clothes and a bandaged arm._

_“What happened?” he asked, his throat felt really dry and Claire helped him with a glass of water._

_“Well, Mr Kennedy, you gave us a little scare. The couple living here offered us help and then, sir, you fainted like a princess.”_

_He winced after hearing this and Claire’s face went from amused to concerned._

_“No, but seriously Leon, why didn’t you tell me how you feel?”_

_“I didn’t want you to worry. All of us were tired and… I thought it will pass.”_

_She snorted and sighed._

_“Well, you’re stupid. You were out for a whole day. You’re lucky the woman living here is a nurse. She dressed up your wound. You had an infection so you were feverish all day. But the good information is that the worst is over.”_

_Great, not only he fainted but he was sick. Just his luck, what’s next?_

_“When you were unconscious, you were calling a name - Ada. Who is she?” she asked curiously and he was glad he was red from fever because gosh, this was even more embarrassing._

_“It’s a woman I met there… in Raccoon. She helped me… I helped her… In the end she used me and then died. It’s not important.”_

_Saying this outloud reminded him how stupid he was. He should have known from the beginning that Ada was lying, that she was not who he thought she was. FBI, his ass. What FBI agent wears a dress and high heels? It was so naive of him to believe in all her lies. Yet she let him stuck around and then she dressed up his wound. Was she really that bad? She didn’t shoot him after all on the bridge. He will never probably know as she was dead now._

_“I think it’s quite the opposite if you are keep dreaming about her,” Claire smiled to him sadly and sat on the bed he was lying in._

_“I only knew her for few hours,” he avoided her look and looked at the window instead._

_“You know me for even less time and you were ready to die for me and Sherry.”_

_“It's different… It is a part of my duty as a policeman. Now that we’re talking I’m not sure if I’m still one..”_

_But with Ada... It was his duty too but even after knowing that she lied to him he still felt guilty that he didn’t save her. Would that make a difference? Would she go with him? Be the one to talk with him right now?_

_“Then you simply had a crush which is not something uncommon for a young guy like you. How old are you, eighteen?” she teased him and he nudged her with his knee. She laughed which was a good sign after everything they’ve gone through._

_“I’m twenty one, kiddo.”_

_“Hey I’m only two years younger!” they both laughed and went silent for a moment._

_“The woman downstairs told me they’re gonna blow up Raccoon City.”_

_He looked at her shocked. The whole city?! He knew most of the people there were infected but still... There went his career as Raccoon City policemen. His parents are probably dying worried about him. He needed to call them as soon as possible._

_“I need you to ask you a favour. I still haven’t found my brother but I think I know where he is. I need to look for him.”_

_He knew what she wanted to ask him so he smiled to him._

_“Go and find that idiot.”_

_She smiled to him genuinely._

_“You don’t even know him yet you call him an idiot. You are not wrong. Please, promise me you will write to me when you and Sherry will find a safe place. The couple here will give you a ride to the city when you will feel better. I already told Sherry about my plan.”_

_“I will take care of her, I promise. I will probably go with her to my parents, they’re good people.”_

_Claire nodded her head._

_“Are you guys done?”_

_Both of them looked at the door where Sherry was standing. She quickly went towards the bed and sat next to Claire, looking at him._

_“Someone is in a good spirit,” he joked and the girl smiled. She suddenly hugged him in his abdomen, avoiding his wound._

_“I was worried you will never wake up or turn into some of the monsters!”_

_“No need to worry, Leon is alright now,” Claire patted young girls back and Sherry stood up and looked at him with a smirk._

_“So will you tell us more about this Ada?”_

_He sighed._

_“Were you eavesdropping?_

_“Of course I was, I am a kid after all! Now tell us, was she pretty?”_

_“Yeah, all juicy details young man,” Claire joined in teasing and now he had no choice but to tell them his story. They ended up talking quite a lot with only a break for dinner. By the end of the day he was feeling better and Claire had to leave them to look for Chris._

_“Take care Leon” she said to him, the words so familiar to what Ada said to him before she died._

_“You too”_

_Next day the couple gave him and Sherry a ride to the city. They didn’t even spend a day and he hadn’t managed to contact his family when the government found them ._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading <3 Next one is the last one. How will their adventure end? :O


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it, the final chapter!
> 
> thank you everyone who read this short thing and thank you Novermilion for being my beta for this chapter<3

_Present day_

They were running.

Leon heard the lickers screaming behind them but they didn't have enough ammo to deal with all of them. Not to mention that the Tyrant was still not visible which gave him anxiety. Who knows when this bastard would suddenly break a wall and appear out of nowhere? It surprised him once, back in Raccoon City.

"I think I see the door," Ada told him and indeed, there was a big door in front of them.

Ada took the key card and they went inside. He quickly closed the door and heard the licker screaming and punching it. He backed away from the door, hoping it would withstand long enough.

Ada already moved toward the console and started typing on the keyboard, using her hacking device as well.

"How much ammo do you have left?" he asked her as he reloaded his gun and checked his other one as well.

"Not much, so I would love to finish this as quickly as possible."

He smiled bitterly.

"I don't think it will be that easy. Let's just pray that the big bastard is somewhere lost. How's it going?"

"Give me a minute."

He nodded and squeezed his arm. Fortunately, it stopped hurting for the most part; now it was just bothering him a little. He knew that it would pass in a moment. Thankfully neither of them had been hurt badly, besides Ada's wound on the head.

"Are you feeling better?"

He asked her and she glanced at him.

"Worried like always, handsome? I'm okay," in the same time the room lit up red. "And it's done. We have 8 minutes until the explosion so we better hurry up."

He nodded and then prepared to open the door. Ada gave him a signal and he opened it. She shot the licker immediately and he joined her in a moment. The creature screamed and tried to run at them with its claws but Leon aimed at its head and the licker was dead within a few seconds. They didn’t have much time to waste so they started running again.

The lab wasn't that big but the creatures were already everywhere. The plants weren't a problem, they avoided their tentacles and went on. Every time a tentacle grabbed them, either he or Ada shot the creature or he used his knife to cut it away. Fighting with her by his side was much easier and it gave him the feeling of security even though it was Ada - you could never know what was on her mind after all.

The lickers were faster but so far they only saw one since leaving the control panel. Looks like Liam didn't 'create' many of them. He was glad because he knew that he only had a few bullets left in his one gun.

"The elevator should be just here," said Ada. He was protecting her back and saw her stopping in front of the elevator when suddenly he lost his footing. He knew that feeling so well that he almost laughed ironically.

The Tyrant lifted him by his neck and he choked as he couldn't breathe. He was trying to kick him but he only wriggled his legs like an idiot uselessly.

"Leon!" Ada called him and immediately put some bullets in the Tyrant's body but the monster ignored her. Even if he didn’t see its eyes, he knew they were glued to him. He suddenly remembered Raccoon City when a similar Tyrant choked him and how terrifying its white eyes were.

He took the knife from his belt and put it in its hand but the monster didn’t even flinch. It only made him more angry as the Tyrant slammed him against the wall.

Leon saw black spots in his vision. Shit, it was a really stubborn bastard.

_2 minutes until detonation_

Fuck.

"Ada," he choked, "Run!"

"Like hell I'm leaving you here, you idiot!"

He couldn't see what she was doing as his vision was still spinning but he heard her running to some place. He prayed that it was the elevator. He hoped that this time, he could at least save her.

Just when he thought that his windpipe finally gave up, he saw Ada in the corner of his eye with an axe. She hit the Tyrant in its arm and the beast dropped him on the floor. She almost cut it off but they didn't have time to see it. She quickly helped him to stand up and they went to the elevator.

_1 minute until the detonation_

"Are you hanging in there?"

She asked him and he gave her a thumbs up, still trying to catch his breath.

“I’m starting to think that the monsters created my fanclub.”

“Watch out for psycho fans then,” she joked.

She didn't leave him which was a nice surprise. He didn't know she cared that much. He always thought it was one sided.

Maybe that's why she didn't shoot him in the Raccoon?

He didn't have much time to contemplate as the elevator stopped.

_30 seconds_

"C'mon handsome!"

They sprinted to the main hall. Leon was sure they were faster than the monster from the lab, but there must have been another passage, because a Tyrant was standing in front of the door, blocking their way out.

"They never give up, huh?" Leon sighed. The creature went toward them. They could feel the shaking from underneath them, telling them that the explosion was close. They didn’t have time for a fight with the big monster in front of them. He also knew that his gun was almost empty and Ada’s was not in any better condition because she used most of her ammo earlier to help him.

"Fuck", Leon looked around and saw a big window. It was their last chance.

_10 seconds_

"Follow me!"

He jumped at it, breaking the glass and shielding his face with his arms. Ada followed him and when she landed, he took her hand. They ran as fast as they could and then they felt the ground shaking. He pushed her down to the grass and shielded her with his body from the explosion.

He heard a loud bang, felt the heat and then blacked out.

***

When Leon opened his eyes he gasped loudly. His throat was still sore from being strangled. He noticed as well that was that he was lying on the grass - alone. Ada wasn’t there.

He saw the face of the man that he met at the airport. The agent was kneeling next to him as he tried to sit up.

"Agent Kennedy, are you with us?"

"Yeah," he replied weakly, his head was throbbing and he looked around. He saw the massive fire and the agents all around.

"We got your call and got here as fast as we could but I see that your work here is done. Congratulations, good job. There is a medic there, she can take a look at you."

"No need, Agent. I'm fine,” he lied. He knew that he didn’t need medical attention, he was mostly sore and beaten up. The Agent scrutinized him but decided not to comment on that. “ If that's everything, I would love to return to the hotel and take a shower."

The man sighed and tried to help him with standing up but Leon decided to save his dignity and did this on his own.

"Alright. There is a car and driver back there. He will drive you back to the hotel. Take a long nap and I will see you tomorrow at the base for the report."

He nodded and then he realized something.

"What about my car, sir?"

"Sorry to tell you but I think it was stolen. We didn't see it around here."

Leon sighed and smiled.

"Stolen, of course."

He knew the thief.

***

The receptionist gave Leon a weird look and he only smiled at her awkwardly. He knew how he must look. He was dirty from the fire, his hair one big mess, not to mention that his jacket was destroyed. Pity, he really liked it.

When he opened the door it felt like deja vu. Once again, he was sure there was someone in his room but the familiar smell calmed his nerves.

The question was, why was she here this time?

“Forgot something?” he asked Ada as he threw his ruined jacket on the couch.

Ada was standing near the window, still in the same outfit although this time she took off her jacket. She also washed her face as there were no traces of blood or dirt on it. She had a bandage on her forehead and her bag was near her feet. She looked like she wanted to run away, but… she couldn’t? Didn’t want to? Leon wasn’t sure. The fact that she was still there was a mystery for him.

“Actually, I came for my things.”

“And you decided to stay a bit longer?”

She gave him a look.

“Would you like me to disappear then?”

“Honestly, Ada, I don’t know. You left me back there, so of course I didn’t expect to meet you here,” he admitted and crossed his arms. Ada sighed and looked again through the window.

“Leon, you called for backup. Did you really expect me to stay and explain myself to federal agents? I don’t think so.”

She was right and Leon knew that. As much as he enjoyed her company on his mission, he knew that her presence had to stay a secret. No one could know that she was with him. Yet another time he will lie to his superiors about her.

But Leon wasn’t that stupid. He knew exactly why she went on his mission with him.

“Yet you are still here, in my room. You could take your belongings and leave again.”

“I could.”

“But you didn’t.”

She frowned.

“What is your point Leon?”

“You think I didn’t notice? I know you came with me because you wanted the data. I saw it.”

She smiled to him fakely.

“You are smarter than you look, then. I forgot you are not a rookie cop anymore.”

He didn’t thank her for the compliment. He went toward her.

“You know that I could call right now for backup and tell them that you stole the data?”

She was looking into his eyes, walking toward him as well.

“You could. They could also catch me and then I would tell them the truth. That I worked with you in Raccoon, and now here, in Vancouver. I think your government friends would really like this information.”

They were closer and Leon could almost see his reflection in her own eyes.

“Are you threatening me?”

“Aren’t you threatening me as well, Leon?”

For a moment they were quiet, looking into each other’s eyes. The tension from earlier was back again and for a moment Leon forgot how tired he was. She was standing right in front of him. He could feel her breath on his skin and once again his thoughts went back to the Raccoon City incident. To the ride on the cable car when she kissed him for the first time.

“Who are you working for?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why did you help me then?”

She sighed and shook her head.

“Leon, you’re young and naive. Do you seriously think that the world is so black and white? That there is nothing in between? The grayness? Just because you work for the government doesn’t make you a good guy. It only depends on you and your choices.”

He was a bit lost by her words. What did that even mean?

“So, are you trying to justify your actions?”

“I’m just telling you that you don’t know the whole truth.”

“Will you tell me then?”

“It’s better if you are not involved.”

“Will you tell me at least why are you here?”

“For the same reason you still didn’t call for your agents right now.”

Their faces were really close and Leon felt her breath on his neck. She slowly put her hand on his chest and he shuddered.

“Why didn’t you shoot me in Raccoon?”

“I couldn’t," she whispered and looked again into his eyes. For a moment he felt that he broke her shell. He saw the same emotions on her face as he saw on the bridge in the Umbrella’s lab.

He slowly put his hand on her cheek.

“You know this will be your biggest mistake?” she said to him.

He smiled at her and leaned over her.

“I’m young and naive, I’m allowed to make mistakes.”

He kissed her. A bit hesitantly and quickly. When their lips parted he immediately wanted more. Their first kiss in Raccoon was quick and spontaneous. Leon was so surprised back then that he didn’t even react. Now was different. Now they had time and he could enjoy it.

She gave him a cocky smile.

“What are you, a rookie? Kiss me properly,” she teased him.

He wrapped his arms around her and put one of his hands into her hair. He kissed her more surely this time. It was a deep kiss, much longer than the first one and he was out of breath when they finished.

She put both of her hands on his chest and smiled at him again, charmingly.

“So, if you’re up to my game, let me teach you my rules, then.”

He gave her a questioning look when he felt her pushing him on the bed. He was surprised by her action when she climbed on top of him with a devilish smile. He suddenly felt hot and swallowed when he saw her taking off her top.

“What are you waiting for? Take off your clothes,” she ordered him.

He knew this gonna be a long night.

***

Even with Ada in his arms, Leon still couldn’t believe any of this was real.

It was different from all of Leon’s previous relationships. He dated a few times when he was in high school. His most serious relationship was with his ex-girlfriend while he was still at the Academy. They broke up a week before he went to work in Raccoon City. It hadn’t bothered Leon as much as he thought it would. He noticed that they simply had different points of view on life and even though he thought that sex with her was great, it was nothing compared to what he just had with Ada.

The mysterious woman was always present in his thoughts and dreams, not only nightmares. The fact that he finally could hold her in his arms was still so unreal.

“You’re thinking too loud, Leon,” she said to him. He couldn’t see her face, her back pressed to his chest.

He smiled and kissed her on her arm.

“I was wondering, is ‘Ada’ your real name?”

He didn’t know why he asked that. It bothered him earlier but now that they had more time to talk, he didn’t want to miss the opportunity to ask again.

She was silent for a moment and he was afraid that he'd crossed a line again.

“It’s not my real name,” she replied to him and he decided not to press the issue. He would love to know her real name but he didn’t know her whole history either way.

Suddenly she turned around and looked at him. She put her hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes.

“The person with that name is dead, Leon. Her life was full of mistakes. I want you to call me ‘Ada’ and only that. It’s the name that changed everything in my life.”

Leon looked at her surprised. Was their meeting really that important for her? That was the problem with Ada. She rarely opened up and had to act… no, she didn’t have to act. She was a strong woman and Leon knew that she had a dangerous job. Why did she decide to keep it and not change her lifestyle? That he didn’t know but he hoped that one day she would tell him everything.

She kissed him on the lips and turned again. He wrapped his arms around her tighter and sighed.

He didn’t know how long she planned to stay.

“When are you going back?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Will you stay then… Just for tonight?”

He didn’t see her face, nor did he hear her thoughts. She only touched his hand with hers and sighed.

“Sleep, Leon. You are tired.”

He didn’t want to.

He wanted to spend as much time as possible with her.

But his body gave up and after the long day, he fell asleep.

***

The next time he opened his eyes, his bed was empty.

***

Leon hated the official part of his job. Firstly, he had to report to the agents from Canada. They asked him many questions about Liam’s lab and he simply told them what he saw.

He didn’t tell them about Ada.

Secondly, of course they had their suspicions. They asked him if he knew who sedated Liam in the first place, but he simply answered that the doctor probably had other enemies who were present at the party.

They believed him in the end and he was sent to the airport again.

He was happy to leave this country behind, as well as the asshole agent who once again was his driver. Even after finishing his mission, he was still teased by him because of his young look.

Maybe the agent was simply jealous of his position at such a young age.

Going back to States didn’t mean that he was free and could go straight to his apartment. He had to go through the same process once again, tell the same story because they wanted to hear it from his mouth, not from the official report from Canada and when he was sitting in the office, for a moment, he wished he was back in the lab rather than sitting there. What was wrong with him?

“We wanted to congratulate you, Agent Kennedy. It was a hard mission for a solo agent, but you have proved your skills to work in the field.”

His superior gave him a cold smile and Leon smiled at him fakely. They just sent him on a suicide mission to see if he was a good agent. Great, he couldn’t wait for his future missions.

But he kept those thoughts to himself. As much as Ada’s words had awoken some doubtful thoughts, he still believed that he was doing the right thing. After all, he did take down one of Umbrella's old labs. Only a few to go and this cursed company would disappear from this world.

They shook his hand, gave him a few free days and said that he would continue his training after.

He finally exhaled when he left the building and only then he felt how tired he was. He couldn’t wait to pass out in his own bed.

“I thought they would have sent you on another mission.”

He heard a cheerful voice and turned around. He smiled when he saw Sherry sitting on a bench with her kind smile.

“And what are you doing here?”

“Well, my guardians think I went to visit my friend, which is not a lie!”

He sighed and went towards her. Sherry’s adoptive parents weren’t a big fan of him. He cherished every moment he had with her when she snuck out or when they allowed him to meet with her. They told him that they wanted for Sherry a normal life and he was reminding her about the Raccoon nightmare.

It was bullshit, Sherry needed him because he and Claire were the only ones who understood her and she trusted only them.

“They won’t be happy when they find out you went to meet me,” he crossed his arms and gave her a fake, criticizing look.

She sighed and shrugged.

“Well, no one has to know about it, right?”

He smiled again and she stood up to immediately grab his hand. He allowed her and they started walking towards the city.

“Claire called me yesterday. Too bad you guys couldn’t talk.”

He rarely saw Claire these days because of her work. He knew she had found her brother but that was all.

“Something happened.”

He looked surprised at the young girl.

“I mean, you look different. Happier,” she gave him a curious look.

He sighed. Was is that obvious?

“Well, you can say that something did happen.”

Her face lit up and she almost jumped from excitement.

“What was it?!”

“I just met an old friend.”

“An old friend?! Tell me more!”

He smiled again, and shook his head.

“Leon, please!”

“You won’t drop it?”

She pouted.

“Of course not!”

“Even if I buy you some ice cream?”

For a moment she looked away, thinking about his proposition.

“I might reconsider it after eating them.”

He laughed again and she looked at him with her big, curious eyes.

“So, who was it?”

“A ghost from the past.”

She was silent for a moment but then she understood his words and squeezed his hand.

“You met her! The lady in red! Tell me more!”

He shook his head and ruffled her hair.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this short story :D After my last long fic I just wanted to write something short yet full of emotions. I love writing dialoguesssss  
> Anyway that's it for this story. Do I have some plans? Yes, I'm planning to write Ada x Leon one-shot soon. What I can tell you is that if some of you saw the animation anthology Death Love and robots, my next one-shot will be inspired by the episode 'Beyond the Aquila Rift' ;) See you soon!


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